This invention generally relates to the field of material packaging and more specifically relates to reclosable packages for confectionery items, such as sticks of chewing gum.
When packaging confectionery items, particularly sticks of gum, it has been customary to package the individual sticks of gum in a flexible package. These flexible packages are typically opened by pulling a narrow strip or cord that is wrapped around one end of the package so as to tear off the end of the package. After the package has been opened, the torn-off end of the package and the cord are no longer useful and must be discarded. As a result, once a flexible gum package has been opened, the package cannot be resealed or reclosed. This is because there is no lid or cap to reclose the package. Moreover, the package must be maintained in an upright position to keep the remaining sticks of gum from falling out of the package.
One solution to the above-mentioned problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,378 which provides an adhesive at a closed end of an opened package to retain individual sticks of gum in the package. However, this solution has often proven to be unsatisfactory and inconvenient because after the package is opened, the sticks of gum remain exposed to the elements. As a result, the exposed sticks of gum lose their freshness after a short period of time.
Another solution to the above-mentioned problems is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,211, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. In the ""211 patent, the package is a reclosable package that includes a container having a front portion, a top end portion and a back portion. An adhesive front label is applied to the front portion of the container and a flexible adhesive flap including a non-adhesive pull tab is provided for covering the label, the top end and the back portions of the container. The label and front portion of the container preferably has a contour edge formed therein to define an opening edge. During operation, lifting the pull-tab detaches the front portion along the contour edge and also removes the top end to open the package. The back of the flap remains attached to the back of the package to form a hinged connection. The flap is resealable to the front portion of the package to allow the package to be reclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,732 discloses a cap for a package of chewing gum. The cap is placed over an open end of the package and has a frame which surrounds the open end. The frame has two windows, each of which is juxtaposed with a group of chewing gum sticks stored in the package. A pair of covers for the two windows is pivotally mounted on the frame of the cap. When it is desired to remove a stick of chewing gum from the package, one of the covers is opened to expose the ends of a first group of chewing gum sticks. Once a chewing gum stick has been removed, the cover may be closed by snapping the lip of one of the covers over a cooperating lip on the frame.
In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, a reclosable package for containing one or more elongated items, such as one or more sticks of chewing gum, includes a container having a bottom wall and sidewalls extending from the bottom wall. The sidewalls preferably surround an interior region of the container and have upper ends that are remote from the bottom wall. The upper ends of the sidewalls define an opening of the container through which one or more of the elongated items may be placed. In one preferred embodiment, the sidewalls include a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, and first and second sidewalls that oppose one another. The front and rear walls preferably include respective interior surfaces that confront one another and the first and second sidewalls preferably extend between the front wall and the rear wall. In preferred embodiments, the distance between the bottom wall and the upper end of the rear wall is greater than the distance between the bottom wall and the upper end of the front wall. In other words, the rear wall has a greater height than the front wall. As a result, upper ends of the opposing sidewalls slope in a downward direction between the rear wall and the front wall.
The reclosable package also includes one or more dividers disposed in the interior region of the container. The one or more dividers preferably extend between the opening of the container and the bottom wall. The opening of the container is preferably located at the upper ends of the front and rear walls. The one or more dividers define elongated slots adapted for receiving one or more elongated items, such as one or more sticks of chewing gum. In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more dividers include a first set of spaced ribs that are attached to and extend from the interior surface of the front wall toward the rear wall. The reclosable package may also include a second set of spaced ribs that oppose the first set of spaced ribs. The second set of spaced ribs is preferably attached to the interior surface of the rear wall and extends from the interior surface of the rear wall toward the front wall. Thus, the ribs of the first and second set preferably oppose one another. The ribs of the first set of ribs are preferably in substantial alignment with the ribs of the second set of ribs, thereby forming a series of elongated slots defined by the opposing ribs. The ribs are preferably integrally formed with the respective interior surfaces of the front and rear walls and preferably extends about 1-3 mm from the respective interior surfaces. In certain preferred embodiments, the first and second sets of ribs extend from the upper ends of the respective front and rear walls to the bottom wall. However, in other preferred embodiments, the ribs may only be provided on either the front wall or the rear wall. The ribs may also extend only part of the way between the upper ends of the front and rear walls and the bottom wall.
The reclosable package also preferably includes a cap attached to the container that is closable over the opening of the container. The cap preferably includes a top wall, a cap front wall extending from a front edge of the top wall, a cap rear wall extending from a rear edge of the top wall and first and second cap sidewalls extending between the cap front wall and the cap rear wall. The cap is generally attached to one of the sidewalls of the container such as the upper end of one of the sidewalls. In preferred embodiments, the cap is hingedly secured to one of the upper ends of one of the sidewalls of the container. In preferred embodiments, the cap is hingedly secured to the upper end of the rear wall of the container. In highly preferred embodiments the cap and the container are molded together as one piece and are integrally connected together via an integrally molded hinge. The integrally molded hinge is preferably a flexible polymer material. In other preferred embodiments, the cap rear wall and the rear wall of the container include tubular elements having axial bores extending therethrough. During assembly of the cap to the container, the respective tubular elements are intermesh with one another so that the axial bores of all of the tubular elements are in substantial alignment with one another. An elongated rod may then be passed through the aligned axial bores for hingedly connecting the cap to the container. As a result, the cap may move between a closed position and a fully open position by pivoting about the elongated rod.
As mentioned above, the ribs formed on the interior surfaces of the front and rear walls provide elongated slots adapted for receiving one or more elongated items such as sticks of chewing gum. The ribs maintain the sticks of chewing gum in an upright position, even after one or more sticks of gum have been removed from the interior region of the container. Thus, the ribs prevent sticks of gum from falling to the side, shifting or moving within the interior region of the container after one or more sticks of gum have been removed from the package.
When the reclosable package is in the closed position, the top wall of the cap overlies the bottom wall of the container and is substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the container. In this closed position, the exterior surface of the top wall overlies the bottom wall and is substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the container. When the cap is in the fully open position, the top wall of the cap does not overlie the bottom wall of the container and the exterior surface of the top wall faces toward the bottom wall of the container.
The height of the cap front wall is greater than the height of the cap rear wall. As a result, the lower ends of the cap sidewalls (i.e., the ends of the sidewalls remote from the top wall of the cap) slope between the cap front wall and the cap rear wall. The slope of the lower ends of the cap sidewalls substantially mirrors the slope of the upper ends of the container sidewalls. When the cap is in the closed position, the lower end of the cap front wall engages the upper end of the container front wall. In addition, the lower ends of the cap sidewalls engage the upper ends of the container sidewalls. The close engagement of the lower ends of the cap walls with the upper ends of the container walls provides a seal when the cap is in the closed position; thereby limiting the exposure of the elongated items stored within the container.
In certain preferred embodiments, the lower end of the cap front wall includes a vertically extending flange that projects from the lower end of the cap front wall and that is engagable with a recess formed on the interior surface of the front wall of the container. The engagement of the vertically extending flange with the recess holds the cap in the closed position. Thus, the recess formed in the interior surface of the front wall is preferably adapted for receiving the vertically extending flange projecting from the lower end of the cap front wall. The cap front wall may also include a horizontally extending flange projecting from the exterior surface of the cap front wall. The horizontally extending flange is engagable for grasping the cap when the cap is moved between the open and closed positions.
In certain preferred embodiments, the cap is preferably hingedly connected to the container by a hinge subassembly. The hinge subassembly preferably includes one or more tubular elements connected to the lower end of the cap rear wall, and one or more tubular elements connected to the upper end of the rear wall of the container. Each tubular element includes an elongated axial bore extending therethrough. During assembly of the cap with the container, the elongated bores of the tubular elements are placed in substantial alignment with one another and an elongated rod is passed through the elongated bores of the tubular elements for hingedly connecting the cap to the rear wall of the container. As a result, the cap may swing between the fully closed position. As mentioned above, the cap may also be hingedly connected to the container by a hinge integrally molded at one end to the cap and at the other end to the container.